


LUNARIS

by capsquarters



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Captain America: The Winter Soldier, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Hydra (Marvel), Multi, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, POV Third Person Limited, Post-Avengers to Avengers: Endgame, SHIELD, Slow Burn, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-18 04:14:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28737072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/capsquarters/pseuds/capsquarters
Summary: In a world of gods and aliens falling to the Earth from the sky, Kennedy Jacobson was simply an agent of SHIELD. Throughout her years of work, she rose through the ranks, becoming one of the most esteemed agents the organization had to offer. But Kennedy had a secret that lied in her past: one that brought her to the States in the first place, and one she was desperate to hide.When Kennedy is tasked with recruiting Captain America as a part of SHIELD, she begins to question everything about the life and the job she thought she once understood. As friendships are put to the test and trust is broken, Kennedy must find out who she is underneath the layers of secrecy and decide whether her voice is truly something worth sacrificing.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 10





	1. Anomaly

**Author's Note:**

> If you read the description and decided to stick around, thank you! I'll admit, this is my first time ever writing in the fanfiction genre, so bear with me. Though I originally planned to play around with only the canon characters in the MCU, I personally felt like the universe lacked the diversity myself and other viewers were looking for, hence the creation of this story. This story's gonna be a long one, but everything comes full circle at the end to what I hope will be a satisfying conclusion. And if you didn't like the Avengers: Endgame ending, well this story is also for you then, because I do change things up a bit.
> 
> Thank you for reading!

**_New York, 2012_**

**They were grotesque metal beasts** that penetrated Earth's seemingly protective barrier through a large hole in the sky **.** It was the first time Kennedy had ever seen such a sight, and to be completely honest, she hoped it to be the last. Screams could be heard across the crowded city as the cluster of armed creatures landed, destroying everything in their paths. They were called the Chitauri and they were sent to invade them all.

She stared out the glass windows of the SHIELD headquarters. From a distance, she caught a glimpse of the six members who formed the Avengers Initiative: Clint Barton, Bruce Banner, Tony Stark, Thor Odinson, Steve Rogers, and Natasha Romanoff. Kennedy watched intently, a part of her aching to fight alongside them and another glad to be in the safety of the headquarters. A stream of nerves made their way throughout her body and butterflies fluttered in her stomach. Despite the confidence each of the heroes exuded, Kennedy was worried for them regardless. As to whether or not that would change the outcome of the battle, she highly doubted it. These alien creatures were ruthless, not knowing the difference between their opponents and the innocent.

Maria Hill, one of Nick Fury's most trusted agents, came towards her, her eyes tracing the city's skyline.

"In all my years working for SHIELD, I've never seen anything like this."

"Me neither," Kennedy replied. It was partially true. As aforementioned, she's never witnessed iron-like serpents enter Earth's atmosphere from the sky up until this point. But the large chip implanted in the back of her neck was a constant reminder of the strange things she's experienced. She, herself, was an anomaly, just like the Avengers, but in her case, no one could know. No one except—

"Agent Jacobson." Nick Fury. He was one of those exceptions. "I need you to come with me." Fury then turned to Maria. "Agent Hill, contact Director Pierce and the World Security Council. All eyes need to be focused on New York."

Maria was on her way in a matter of moments, ensuring that Fury's orders were quickly completed. That left him with Kennedy.

"This way."

She followed Fury down a series of familiar hallways until they were met by a large metal door. He raised his hand promptly and placed it on a small screen.

" _Director Nick Fury. Access authorized._ "

As the door slid open and they stepped into a moderately cold room, the ceiling lights flickered one by one, leading to a suit encased in glass. It was skin-tight and black as ink, made with a mixture of leather, spandex, and plating. Between where the plating and stretchy fabric met were thin translucent lines that ran from the collar of the suit down to the legs. A pair of silver and black boots went with the attire, completing the set.

"I figured that someone with such capabilities deserves their own suit," Fury began. A quick press of a button and the glass lowered, revealing SHIELD's new creation. "The entire collar is etched with sensors that connect to both your chip and the chip's controller. Any change in your power level and the suit will detect it, altering itself to fit your needs."

Kennedy circled around it with furrowed brows and a critical eye. "What else can it do?"

"The plating is shock resistant and the entire suit is bullet and fireproof. And the forearms"—he lifted up and turned both arms of the suit— "have special panelling that amplifies your power."

The suit was unlike anything she'd ever received before, yet somehow absolutely perfect. So much so that she had to ask, "Why are you giving this to me?"

With a sigh, Fury said, "You've done more than I expected, considering your powers have been essentially muted by SHIELD technology. You've saved my life and put in hard work to get to where you are now. I guess..." He paused for a moment as if he wasn't used to commending people for their work. "I guess it's time I recognized all that you've done."

"You're welcome, Director Fury."

"That wasn't me saying thank you." A disappointed _oh_ escaped from her lips and soon enough Fury was back to business. "The Avengers have their own plans to take down Loki and secure the Tesseract. Now, I trust them to get the job done, but I don't trust those alien bastards on leaving anything but widespread destruction behind. Your job is to keep the damage contained and the casualties to a minimum. Understood?"

Kennedy nodded in agreement while another set of nerves came and went. In a matter of moments, she felt a surge of energy rush through her body. The feeling of possessing her powers once more was both frightening yet familiar. There had been times in which she'd been given the opportunity to use them, but that was under Fury's authority. Her last memory of full autonomy over her powers was during her time on the island. A shiver ran down Kennedy's spine at the thought of her native country. _This time it will be different. You don't have your full abilities._

The transparent lines began to change colour as the blue glow of her powers travelled through each little tube. The dark blue flowed through her tight black curls, then faded from existence at the tips.

Fury was at the edge of the doorframe when he glanced back at her. "In case of an emergency, there's a button on the wrist of your suit that will activate a helmet and retro-reflective panels that should make you invisible to the Avengers and the rest of the civilians. Stay low, do your job, and you won't have to use it."

Taking a deep breath, Kennedy picked up the suit from where it was placed. She was part of the battle now, and she refused to fail.

• • • • •

The wreckage was worse when actually surrounded by it. Large chunks of buildings toppled to the ground and dust filled the air. Along with the ambiance of roars from the Chitauri and the Hulk, it was safe to say that New York was not a city one would want to be in right now.

Kennedy trod along, climbing over rubble while ensuring there wasn't anyone hurt or in need of assistance. Just as she cleared the area, she spotted a new group of Chitauri. They threatened to push the area they'd invaded even further, killing and wounding more people in their way. From the corner of her eye, she caught a cerulean blue spandex suit and a shield with a star in its centre.

"Shoot," she muttered under her breath as she hid behind a brick wall.

Though Captain America was holding out well against the invaders, it was evident that they were getting the upper hand, pushing him back further and further with each blow. Each passing second watching him fight only increased Kennedy's desire to join in and show everyone what she could do. All she had to do was step out and reveal herself. The thought was tempting but impossible. She wouldn't step out. She wouldn't do anything that'd upset SHIELD because of all that they've given her and all that they could just as easily take away.

Kennedy poked her head out slightly to get a sense of where the Chitauri were. If she worked quickly, she could stop them from moving any further while still remaining hidden. Sticking her hand out, she let the part of her that she's hidden for so long reveal itself and bring out one of her most dangerous powers: energy absorption.

At the wave of her hand, she pulled at the energy of her surroundings, focusing mostly on the electricity that coursed through the buildings of New York. A bright blue intensified in her hands as she formed a dense ball, then whipped it directly at the extraterrestrials. They faltered, which gave the Captain just enough time to regain his footing and defeat them. Kennedy smiled with glee. _I still got it_. It didn't take long for her happiness to be replaced with a sudden rush of fear when Captain America headed her way.

"Hello?" he called out. Kennedy held her breath and pressed her back against the wall in a desperate attempt to hide. "Whoever you are, come out now. Loki and the Chitauri are currently Earth's biggest threat, and what you just did there could help a lot." His voice was commanding yet calm, the calm being the main difference between him and the captains she had to answer to way back when. There was a certain nature to it as well, one that pulled people to trust him. She couldn't, though. She had a job to do and it didn't involve Captain America.

Gravel and rubble crunched under his boots as he approached. Kennedy felt a lump build in her throat the closer he got and she prepared herself to suck out every last bit of his energy. If it came down to it, she'd do anything to maintain what SHIELD had done for her.

As she raised her arm, readying herself and her powers, she noticed a button on her wrist. Fury said it was for emergencies only. _This seems like a pretty big emergency to me_. Kennedy pressed the button and watched as tiny squares of her suit flipped to reveal her surroundings. From her collar was a helmet that assembled and encased her head. She prayed while closing her eyes in hopes that the panelling worked. When she opened them, he stood right in front of her.

His gaze travelled past her, examining the area. He seemed perplexed at the fact that no one was there. Or at least, that's what he thought. Kennedy couldn't help but take note of his profile—his honey-blond hair combed to the side in a classic 40s look, his soft, piercing blue eyes. He looked perfect. Almost too perfect. The type of perfect that had one question whether or not this guy had actual flaws. It could make someone forget that he used to be a ninety-pound man with a slew of medical concerns. She felt bad for him either way. Waking up only to find you're seventy years in the future isn't an easy thing to stomach. Yet it seemed like he was taking it with ease. He was America's biggest patriot and he wore the flag with pride.

Kennedy kept the retro-reflective panels on after Captain Rogers left, just in case he decided to do a second inspection. The sight of another floating serpent creature was her cue to step in once again and do what she did best. She'd make these beasts regret ever coming to planet Earth.

• • • • •

"Congratulations Avengers on the takedown of Loki and the Chitauri army," boomed Nick Fury. "I believe it's safe to say that this initiative has been a success." A collection of claps filled the room of the Stark tower.

"On the behalf of SHIELD, we'd like to thank you for your bravery and teamwork. The world would not know what to do without you." As per usual, Kennedy was the one on thanking duty since it clearly wasn't Fury's style. She wasn't even sure if he knew how to show gratitude.

Another round of applause came and went. Every one of the Avengers looked tired and beaten down with dirt and soot all over. Kennedy felt a little out of place in her freshly pressed black pantsuit she had changed into.

Fury vacated the room which left the Avengers, Loki, and Kennedy all on one extremely lavish floor owned by Iron Man himself. Natasha strode over to her with crossed arms, brushing the hair out of her eyes before saying, "It's actually unfair how clean you look right now."

"Looks like there's a price to pay for heroism," Kennedy said with a chuckle.

Natasha rolled her green eyes. "I'm not a hero, Kennedy."

"That's not what the world thinks." Kennedy pulled out her phone and went to what was trending on the internet. The Avengers were obviously at the top of the list. "See this? Thousands of girls wanting to be like you."

"They don't know me. And if they did, I think they'd change their mind."

"I haven't changed mine. I'm just like the girls you see here." A soft smile grew on Natasha's face. "Though I don't think the red hair would suit me."

Nat let out a subtle laugh just as Tony Stark and Steve Rogers approached them.

"Ladies," greeted Tony.

"Tony," replied Nat. "Steve."

"Mr. Stark. Captain Rogers."

"So, Agent Kennedy Jacobson, is it?" Tony started. When she said yes he continued. "I heard that you so happen to be one of the assistant directors of SHIELD. You seem quite young for a director. Are you young?"

"Depends on what you consider to be young, Mr. Stark."

"Formal too. And also very mysterious. It's like staring into a void."

"Well maybe if you stopped being such a prick—"

"Woah there Romanoff. Whose tower is this?" Nat gave her classic eye roll before Tony returned to Kennedy. "So what do you do exactly?"

"I oversee the STRIKE team on their missions."

"STRIKE team?" Captain Rogers questioned.

"They're a special mission's unit of SHIELD tasked to counter terrorism and ensure the safety and security of both SHIELD and the world." This seemed to catch Captain Rogers' attention, though Kennedy wouldn't consider the rest of their conversation to be particularly interesting.

"Wow," said Tony. "All that hard work and not a single wrinkle. I'm very impressed."

"Tony...," Nat scolded.

"No seriously, what's your skin routine?"

It was at this point when Natasha had enough of Tony and began shoving him away.

"It's been a real pleasure speaking with you, Agent Jacobson. We must talk again soon."

"That won't be necessary Mr. Stark," she stated.

"And here I thought I was making a good impression." He sauntered away while saying, "How about we _clean up this place!_ "

Kennedy shook her head with a smile at Tony's eccentric nature. It was then that her eyes met with Captain Rogers'. It was silly of her to feel even the slightest bit of fear at that moment, but she did anyway. Despite knowing for a fact that he hadn't been able to see her during the battle, she was still worried that he could tell. Before the awkwardness increased anymore, Steve stuck out his hand.

"It's been a pleasure speaking with you as well, Agent Jacobson." They shook hands in the most professional way possible, and then he was off to coordinate search-and-rescue.

"Come on," Kennedy told Natasha. "Director Pierce should be here by now, so we should probably head down. I'm sure he'll have a lot to say about your courage today."

In a voice no louder than a whisper, Nat said, "I know you helped out as well."

"Yes and...?"

"I just hate seeing you work so hard and only get half the credit."

Natasha Romanoff was another exception to the secrecy rule. She knew Kennedy wasn't fond of constantly being forgotten, and she knew why it had to be that way. Nat taught Kennedy the most important thing she'd come to need: to keep the wrong people from coming for you, sometimes you had to let yourself live in a vast web of lies.

• • • • •

There Kennedy was, standing directly in front of an apartment door. If she was being completely honest, she didn't think this was the type of job she should have been doing. Recruiting new members was never something she was tasked to do, yet she guessed times changed. Or perhaps it was due to the status this person had. He was a symbol to an entire nation. Heck, even _she_ knew about him as a kid and she wasn't even American.

In Kennedy's hand was a binder with a basic level of information on SHIELD. She felt like a salesman desperate to get someone to buy her product. _Natasha would've been way better at something like this. Or Maria,_ Kennedy thought. _But me?_ Well, they'd have to see.

Swallowing her nerves, Kennedy knocked on the door.

There he was at the doorstep after a few moments of waiting. His hair once again was neatly combed off to the side, but this time polished and shiny. He wore brown and white plaid and brown slacks and brown leather shoes. He looked like he was pulled right out of a photo in sepia. Kennedy couldn't help but wonder how it felt to be a living antique.

"Agent Jacobson?"

"Hello, Captain Rogers. I'm here on the behalf of Director Nick Fury to discuss an opportunity for you at SHIELD. Mind if we take a walk?"


	2. Outcasts

**_New York, 2012_ **

******Central Park was gleaming with colour** : the emerald greens of the grass, the crystal blue of the sky with not one cloud in sight, and the golden hue the sun cast upon the tall buildings that surrounded the area. If not for the fact that Kennedy had a job to do, she'd simply be there to take in all the sights and all the people. She was still trying to learn everything she could about America. Their culture was so different from the customs she grew up with, which made every day a new experience. What better way to assimilate than by spending time with America's poster boy.

"SHIELD's vision is to create a safe world for all of its inhabitants. We believe that you're the perfect person to promote this vision." All of this SHIELD advertisement was making Kennedy's head ache. _If only I was back in my office_ , she thought to herself as they walked _._

Just as Steve was about to reply, a little boy no older than eight spotted him and squealed, "Hey mom look! It's Captain America!"

The boy quickly let go of his mother's hand and ran up to Steve. "It's really you! What was it like to fight the aliens? Are you and Iron Man best friends? How'd you survive the ice for all those years?"

"I'm so sorry," the mother apologized. "He's a big fan."

Steve laughed in response before kneeling down to the boy's height. "Hey, little man. What's your name?"

"Benjamin. Ben for short."

"It's nice to meet you, Ben. To answer your questions, it was quite overwhelming fighting those—"

"What does overwhelming mean?"

Steve flashed another smile at Benjamin's curiosity. "It's when you're faced against a big amount of something, sometimes when you're not ready for it."

"Were you scared?" asked Ben.

Steve pondered for a moment before responding with, "I was definitely worried for the people who live in New York. And everyone has at least a bit of fear in them. It's all about what you do with it." Ben stared at Steve in awe as he continued. "I must say I don't know too much about Tony Stark, but so far so good. And as for the ice, something about suspended animation. It's a big fancy science term, but it's how I survived all these years."

"That's so cool!" Ben paused for a moment, clearly nervous. "Captain America, sir? Could I take a picture with you?"

"Why, of course!" exclaimed Steve.

Kennedy watched as the mother took out her camera, capturing what would be one of the best days of little Benjamin's life. He gave a wide grin, showing off his newly grown in front teeth. Once his mother finished snapping a few photos, the two thanked Steve and ambled off. That left Steve and Kennedy alone once more on their solely-for-business-purposes walk.

"Sorry about that," said Steve. This would be the third time in the past twenty minutes that someone asked Steve for a picture. Though Kennedy was over it from the beginning, Steve took the fame with stride. _How was he so... perfect?_ "Seems like I've become quite the celebrity now."

They turned onto a trail, hopefully with fewer people there to spot Captain America. "I mean, you _are_ the world's greatest soldier." At this, Steve looked away bashfully, fiddling with his fingers as they walked. "No need to get all shy. You know it's true."

"Just doing what had to be done," Steve stated with a shrug.

"Which is exactly why SHIELD wants you."

There was a momentary pause, then Steve asked, "Where would I be stationed?"

"Washington, DC," she replied. "It's where the Triskelion, one of SHIELD's headquarters, is located. It'd be quite fitting. You know, capital city and you literally wear the American flag." The joke was funnier in her head than out loud seeing as Steve was completely unamused. Lightening the mood was officially scratched off the list of things Kennedy should do to seem convincing. _So much for the advice, Fury._

"Anyway," she continued, clearing her throat. "The STRIKE team could use someone of your combat and leadership skills with them on their missions. Director Fury believes you would be the perfect fit."

"And what do you believe?"

The question caught Kennedy off guard. She wasn't used to being asked about her opinion. Even though she wore a badge indicating her rank in SHIELD, it still felt like she was nothing more than Fury's mouthpiece.

"It's not my place to say what I think."

Steve slowed to a stop and turned to face her. "Isn't it though? You said you oversee STRIKE's missions. If I'm going to be working with them, I'd like to know if _you_ think I'd be good for it and not a man who's too out of touch."

Kennedy let out a sigh, trying to avoid Steve's gaze. "You'd be more than good, Captain Rogers." She didn't think she'd elaborate any further than that. Yet as they began to walk again, she found herself thinking about everything he'd gone through. He was a man out of time. He was like the rest of them who just wanted to belong somewhere. She knew she owed him more than just him being good for the job.

"I think...," she started, "I think that after coming back and it's seventy years in the future, you're looking for something familiar to you. Something that makes sense. Because even though in some ways things are the same as they were in the past, this world is very different. It's louder and flashier, and when you stand there and focus on it long enough, sometimes you just feel like—"

"An outcast," added Steve.

"Yeah. Like an outcast." They took another turn and kept walking until they reached a wooden bridge. Water trickled down a creek and little birds sung as they flew from tree to tree. Steve leaned against the rail of the bridge, patiently waiting for Kennedy to carry on. Once again, she steered clear from his eyes that almost pierced through her.

"But SHIELD could be that familiar. There's structure and duty and purpose. I don't know if you're looking to get into a government organization after just fighting an Asgardian god and a handful of aliens, but if you are...we really could use someone like you, Captain."

Kennedy's voice quieted and the sounds of nature filled the empty spaces. She was glad they were there otherwise her discomfort would be at a whole new level. If there was a visible line separating strictly business and all the things that would contradict that, she most definitely crossed it. To distract herself, she stared at anything she could: the sky, the creek, a random feather falling to the ground. Not much of it helped. Just as she figured, Natasha would've been way better at this.

"So you've felt it then?" Steve questioned. When Kennedy nodded, he asked, "When?"

"As a child, my family and I lived in a small village in Nigeria. Next thing you know I'm fourteen living in New York, feeling like I don't belong. It was the biggest culture shock of my life."

A short _ahh_ and a nod from Steve and the conversation—at least the more personal part—was over, to her relief.

"I'd been considering SHIELD for a while now, but I had doubts. You certainly are persuasive, Ms. Jacobson." A small smile grew on his face while he pondered. Kennedy already knew what he was going to say, yet she still felt a little shock, perhaps at the fact that she managed to pull this off. "I'll do it."

"Perfect! It will be an honour to have you join us, Captain." A firm handshake was the last thing needed to seal the deal and confirm that Steve Rogers was indeed becoming an agent of SHIELD.

"So," he began, "when do I start?" 

• • • • •

Kennedy sat alone in the temporary Manhattan apartment SHIELD gave her, munching on leftover Hawaiian pizza. She was supposed to be proud of herself after today. Recruiting Captain Rogers was a tremendous win for SHIELD and would not only increase their effectiveness at countering terrorism but also create an even more positive response toward the organization. In spite of these facts, she couldn't shake the emptiness that took over her emotions, leaving her with nothing but apathy.

What she'd said to Steve wasn't all a lie. In fact, most of it was the truth. She did move to the United States, just not with her parents. And not when she was fourteen. And not from Nigeria. Kennedy found herself falling down a rabbit hole filled with all the lies she'd ever told because she had no choice. Natasha had told her it would become easier over time. _Soon it will feel like a second skin,_ she had said. Here Kennedy was years later, still struggling to keep herself from slipping.

She thought profusely while washing and rinsing away the grease stains from the white glass plate. She wasn't supposed to call them often, but she felt today to be a day in which she needed to. She needed to hear their voices again.

In her room was an extra phone she kept, given to her by SHIELD. They were the only ones able to trace the phone and its calls. Turning on the phone, Kennedy dialled a number she knew by heart and listened to the sounds of the rings.

" _Hello?_ "

"Father? It's me."

Kennedy's father immediately called her sister over at the sound of her voice. She heard her sister grumbling as she trudged toward the phone to answer it.

" _What are you doing calling us at this hour? It's one o'clock!"_ she hissed.

"Sorry. I forgot about the time difference."

" _Leslie, don't be rude,_ " father scolded. _"It will be months before we get to speak to her again._ " To anyone else, it wouldn't be such a big deal, but for Kennedy it was. Every time she spoke with her father and sister, father always used her sister's other name. It was a constant reminder of what she'd put her family through. It was a large finger pointing directly at her as the person to blame for all this trouble.

"How are you guys doing?"

" _Ehh...we're holding up okay. I've mostly been tending the house and the garden. Not as many fruits and vegetables to plant as back home, but still very plentiful._ "

"That sounds wonderful. And you, uh, Leslie?" Kennedy cursed internally for stuttering. she should be used to this by now.

" _Things are going okay. Work's been keeping me on my toes with all the balances and statements, but it's pretty satisfying once I'm finished."_ Her older sister was a chartered accountant who adored every ounce of her job. Besides the big paycheck she received, she lived for analyzing numbers, making graphs, and implementing math into everything she did.

"Anyone new that you've met?"

Leslie sighed, and Kennedy knew then that her sister was about to fall into a ramble. " _No one that's stuck. It's all just the same old_ 'I see you as a friend' _when that's clearly not what they were showing—_ "

Before her sister could continue, a crinkling sound filled her speaker as the phone was snatched away. " _Eh, eh?_ " scolded her dad." _You're calling to talk to about relationships?_ "

"Well, you said yourself that it'll be a while before I call again. She might as well fill me in."

" _And just yesterday, you were talking about how much you want grandkids,_ " added Leslie.

" _I said no such thing!_ "

" _Dad, you literally did. I heard you mumble it while you were planting sunflowers._ "

" _That's where you're wrong,_ " father argued. " _I don't mumble._ "

Leslie let out a tired breath before saying goodbye. " _I'm going to bed. Have fun with father's denial_."

" _I am not denying any—"_

_"Love you, Kennedy."_ She gave their father a kiss goodnight, something Kennedy wished she would've been able to do as well. " _Goodnight,_ baba." 

With her sister off to bed, it was just her dad on the line.

" _I better not be hearing about any relationships from you._ "

"Don't worry," Kennedy said. "None of that, just work."

" _Is everything okay?"_

She knew father could tell something was on her mind. He had this way of figuring out how she felt without even needing to be there to see it. He could pick it all up from her voice. It was one of the things she loved most about him.

"It's just hard. Not the job itself, but keeping up the façade. It feels like nobody even knows me."

" _Why do you feel that way?_ "

"Because I'm literally hiding everything about me, " Kennedy blurted out. "Almost no one knows where I'm from, almost no one knows about my abilities, and heck, they don't even know my true name."

" _Where you're from does not dictate your character,_ " her father proclaimed. " _Nor do your abilities, or your name. If they know your qualities—the same qualities that I've always seen in you—then they know you._ "

Father always had a way with words. He was wise and calm, but also stern and straightforward. And somehow, he always ended up being right. During moments like these, Kennedy ached for his presence. When she was younger he'd sit her on his lap and stroke her coily black hair. Or on a warm night, they'd go outside and stare at the endless amount of stars that filled the night sky. Kennedy was much too old to be sitting on his lap, but she would never get old enough to want to be away from him for this long.

" _This won't last forever, okay? Just a few more years and it will all be over._ "

Even though he couldn't see her, Kennedy nodded along to his words. "I'll leave you to rest, _baba_. I love you."

" _I love you too,_ " he said " _One last thing: never forget your true name because one day you'll be able to use it again._ " With that he hung up, leaving her alone again to be the outcast in this loud, flashy world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! It was short and sweet, one of the shortest in the story thus far, so I went through it in a breeze. I'm trying to put as much effort as I can into making each canon MCU character as accurate as possible from the movies, so let me know what you think of the characterization, especially with Steve. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	3. Back In Business

**_Washington, DC, 2012_ **

**Kennedy hated plane rides.** From the excessive amounts of turbulence to the children conveniently crying while she tried to sleep, they really weren't up her alley. Luckily this one was short—a little over an hour—and she arrived with more time to spare than she had anticipated.

Once everything was sorted out in New York, Fury ordered a group of his most valued agents to head back to Washington. As beautiful as the New York attractions were, Kennedy found it far too loud and much preferred the quieter, more peaceful capital. She knew she had a purpose when she was in Washington, even if it included lots of paperwork. Besides that, Fury needed her for another reason. Even though it was clear he was wary about the control she had on her powers, they were his best bet at keeping him safe. Saving Fury's life wasn't a mere fluke, but something Kennedy was supposed to do. With a bit of control via the vibranium implant, she became exactly what Fury was searching for. Every time SHIELD activated part of her power was a reminder of that fact.

Kennedy muttered a silent thank you once the plane landed and wove her way out of the airport. She climbed into a sleek black car awaiting her outside.

"Good morning Ms. Jacobson. Enjoy New York?" asked the chauffeur.

"Besides the aliens and a nuke that nearly hit, just as much as before."

"I'm glad you've returned home safely."

 _Home._ It was odd hearing that word since it reminded her of how long she'd been with SHIELD. In a way, it was a home—it was where she worked and where she met Natasha and Clint and Maria. But the old Kennedy screamed inside, knowing that there was another place that tugged at her heart. Either way, they approached the building that stood tall and mighty on the Potomac River: SHIELD's main headquarters, the Triskelion.

They crossed the bridge connecting the Triskelion to the rest of Washington. Kennedy stared out the darkened windows at the still water that flowed across the capital. As soon as the car reached the entrance, she thanked the driver and stepped out, letting her heels meet with the pavement.

She was greeted by the large SHIELD logo—the centrepiece to the entryway of SHIELD headquarters. She smiled up at it before heading to the elevator. Her black pumps clicked and clacked as she walked which gave her a newfound sense of confidence she otherwise would not have. Kennedy got to the elevator with quick strides, then let it take her up to her office.

To Kennedy's surprise, she spotted Natasha further down the hall when she exited the elevator. Nat was accompanied by Agent Barton and Captain Rogers. Every now and then she'd point at something and turn to Steve. She and Clint must've been showing him around more. Perhaps the mandatory tours weren't as in-depth as Kennedy had originally thought them to be.

The three made a pause in the middle of the hallway and Kennedy listened in to see what Nat had to say.

"And this right here is Agent Jacobson's office. Not that interesting when you go inside, all just files." Kennedy rolled her eyes. Her office was more than just files. She had not one, but _two_ packs of gum in there, a collection of books, and an array of framed nature photos. "Agent Jacobson's job is all about the security of SHIELD and the people affected by us. STRIKE mission files, terrorism directly or indirectly involving SHIELD all go to her before they reach Fury." Okay, that wasn't that bad. In fact, Nat explained it all pretty well. Usually, she poked fun at all the mumbo jumbo.

"Which is why you should keep your visits limited," Nat added, "especially since she has so much work on her hands. Oh, and make sure not to bother her in any way. She hates being bothered. She also hates useless conversation, so make sure what you're saying has meaning."

Kennedy's mouth fell open. That was not true. She's happened to be a part of many bland conversations in the past and held out just fine.

"Spreading false information really isn't a good look on you, Natasha," Kennedy announced, walking toward them.

"Neither is denial on you," Nat snapped in return.

She ignored Nat and turned to Steve instead. "My office is always open during my office hours if you ever have any questions or concerns—"

" _But I'd advise you to not have questions because questions mean uncertainty and everyone should be certain about their mission._ "

Her mouth went agape again. "I don't speak like that, Natasha."

"Sometimes you do," murmured Clint. She glared at him in return. "You know what," he began, "we should probably continue our little tour before Kennedy burns me with her eyes. Come on, Cap. Off to the next floor."

Nat and Clint headed off, but Steve stayed, oddly enough. "I'll meet you guys up there," he told them.

In those few seconds before he spoke again, Kennedy managed to get a better look at him. He sported his classic perfectly combed hair, but this time he wore a brown leather jacket and a white shirt instead of plaid. He appeared to be comfortable here, but that could all just be what was displayed on the surface. _Was he the type of person who could easily compartmentalize his true feelings?_

"Is it really all just files?"

Kennedy broke out of the thoughts she had on Steve's character. "What?"

"Your office, is it really all just files in there?" he repeated.

"Oh, uh, no. There's...gum." Not her brightest moment, considering she could've mentioned _anything_ else in her office out loud.

Steve let out a small chuckle, then changed the subject. "I wanted to say thank you for the other day. What you had said, I mean."

Kennedy guessed he meant back at Central Park since they didn't say much back at Stark Tower.

"Oh, you don't have to thank me. I just thought it'd be nice if you had something you could relate to. Hopefully, it helped."

"It did."

There was a silence that threatened to creep in, transforming their encounter into an awkward one. Steve's focus began to shift to the walls and ceilings of the hallway while Kennedy debated whether or not she should just enter her office. Impulsively, she decided not to.

"Do you like Washington so far?" she asked.

"Yeah, I do. Apartment's nice, not too far from here actually. And from the looks of it, I'll be in for quite the ride working here."

"Well, I'm glad you're enjoying things."

"Yeah, it's definitely a fitting place for a guy who wears an American flag."

Kennedy smiled because she actually did still find what she'd said to be quite funny.

"I should probably head off. Don't want to keep Natasha and Clint waiting too long." Steve was about to leave until he stopped and said, "Hope to see you around, Agent Jacobson."

"You as well, Captain Rogers."

• • • • •

The first thing Kennedy noticed was the death of the brown clothing. She'd been getting out of her car one morning with a blueberry muffin in hand when a motorcycle roared into the parking lot. There Steve was, no helmet on, in a fresh, modernized look. Gone were the light brown dress pants, now replaced with dark jeans. Instead of a brown leather jacket, he wore a thinner black one. She had to admit, it did look nice on him, but she found it'd be too awkward and unnecessary if she gave a compliment. They _were_ just clothes after all.

"Good morning, Agent Jacobson," greeted Steve.

"Good morning, Captain Rogers. You do know you're supposed to wear a helmet when riding one of those, right?"

"I wear one when I need one."

"I'm guessing that that's synonymous with almost never. Maybe it's for the best, though. No one likes helmet hair."

"Exactly," Steve replied with a laugh. They walked toward the entrance in comfortable silence. When they were near, Steve sped up slightly and held the door open.

"Thank you." Though it seemed his outdated clothing was gone, Kennedy figured his chivalry would be there to stay.

The next thing she picked up on was his hair. Steve wasn't the first person to make a stop at the barbershop. A few days prior to Steve, Nat changed up her hair.

"Should I darken the red or lighten it?" she had asked while sprawled on the new couch Kennedy had gotten for her apartment.

"Lighten. Definitely lighten."

"What about the style, though?"

She had thought for a moment, envisioning all the looks Nat had sported up until that point. Then, the perfect idea had hit her. "You haven't done straight hair yet. You could get it all cut to about your shoulders, curve it a little at the ends or something."

Nat had sat up and grinned, then said, " _This_ is exactly why we're friends."

Now it was Steve's turn to walk in with a new do. It was a haircut Kennedy saw many men get these days with the hair full in the middle and cropped on the sides. Nat and Steve were walking and talking, most likely coming from combat training with the STRIKE team, when Nat called her over.

"Look, Steve finally took the hint and cut his hair."

"I didn't take any hint," said Steve. "I just thought that maybe it was time I switched things up a bit."

"That's exactly what taking the hint is." Nat then shifted her focus to Kennedy. "Why don't you join the club, Kennedy?"

"No thanks. My hair's fine how it is." Kennedy never did much with her hair besides trimming it every few months. When she was young, she despised getting her hair braided unlike her sister, so she'd always let it run free. Now was slightly different. She still avoided the hairdresser, but she did use gel to enhance the tight curls.

The third and last thing was Steve's suit.

It was two weeks after the hair ordeal and Kennedy stood near the launchpad of a quinjet. An hour earlier, SHIELD had received news that one of their ongoing missions had been jeopardized and that three of their level 6 agents had been taken and held hostage. A group of terrorists had not only taken them but many innocent civilians as well. They weren't on any file or any record owned by SHIELD, making them essentially unknown, and they demanded two hundred million dollars by midnight or they'd kill everyone they'd taken. SHIELD's obvious retaliation was to send its best group of agents to neutralize all threats.

In entered the STRIKE team led by Brock Rumlow, then Clint, Natasha, and finally Steve. They had an array of weapons from Nat's guns, to Clint's bow and arrows, to Steve's classic shield strapped to his back. Once they all arrived on the launchpad, Kennedy gave them a rundown of the game plan.

"Our surveillance team has managed to find the area we believe the agents and civilians are being held hostage." She displayed a map that showed a southern municipality in Belgium bordering France.

"Any updates on the ransom?" asked Steve.

"The price and deadline are currently the same, but we'll be sure to notify you if anything changes. I want an efficient infiltration and neutralization of the terrorists' base with limited to no civilian casualties. As for this unknown group, be sure to bring back all of them. Understood?"

"Yes, Agent Jacobson," they all responded at once.

Kennedy watched them as they boarded the quinjet and took off, hoping that all things went according to plan. They were skilled—they knew exactly what they were doing—but she still couldn't shake her concern. Nat always told her that keeping cool was part of the job, something she wasn't that skilled at. Not like her. All of this was easy for Nat while it was a constant effort for Kennedy. _Soon it will feel like a second skin._ Couldn't soon come any faster?

Kennedy decided that standing around wasn't doing her any good and made her way to her office. _Work would surely get my mind off things_. She entered the elevator and stood next to Maria Hill who also happened to be going up.

"I presume you just came back from sending the STRIKE team off? You look a little...jittery."

_Jittery? Was it that obvious that I was worried?_

"Oh, it's most likely just the coffee I drank. I think it's safe to say that I should stick to herbal teas."

Maria smiled, then mentioned, "You must've seen Rogers' new suit then."

"Yes, I did."

Steve's new suit was a definite upgrade from his older ones, gifted to him by SHIELD. It was a dark navy blue with silver stripes and a silver star on his chest. It also so happened to be bulletproof. Matching the colour scheme of his uniform was a painted version of his shield. Gone were the bright red and blue, replaced with more muted tones. The suit was certainly something made for covert missions.

"I've gotta say, he looks pretty damn good in it. I'm surprised he hasn't been swept up by the first lady he's seen since he got out of the ice."

The shock was easily readable on Kennedy's face. "Maria!"

"What? Someone had to say it."

The elevator paused and the doors slowly slid open.

"I wouldn't worry if I were you," Maria said before she left. "You've got some of the world's greatest spies, agents, and soldiers following through with this mission _and_ they're being guided by one of SHIELD's most skilled members. I think it's safe to say that we've got this in the bag."

It was rare for Maria to give out compliments, but when she did they were sincere. There was something very reassuring in Maria thinking Kennedy was skilled, especially considering how talented she was in her field. There was always this sense of looming doubt that built up in Kennedy's brain, but Maria thought she was capable, and that in itself had the power to temporarily put her nerves at bay.

"Thank you, Agent Hill." With that Kennedy let the elevator take her back up to her office where she'd await the return of the STRIKE team.

• • • • •

A stack of papers organized neatly in a folder plopped on Kennedy's office desk. In front of her stood Rumlow and Steve, both representing the STRIKE team that returned with another successful mission.

"Perfect," she proclaimed. "And where are we at with the group of terrorists?"

"Currently, they are under interrogation. Some have yet to crack, but we'll get them to talk in no time," answered Rumlow.

"So far we've been led to believe they are a Belgian based group. However, there is a possibility of them being affiliated with an even bigger association. We're going down INTERPOL's list of international threats to see."

"Do you think that could explain the steep ransom?" Kennedy asked once Steve finished.

"It's a theory. Definitely one to keep in mind. But I wouldn't put it past these people to simply want an extra buck."

"Or two hundred million," she mused.

"We'll keep you posted on the stages of the interrogation," Rumlow said.

Rumlow left and Steve began to follow, that was until his eye caught something at the corner of Kennedy's desk and he grinned.

"Eclipse gum," Steve read. "So _this_ is the prized possession of your office."

"Well it most certainly wouldn't be the pictures," she remarked sarcastically.

Steve's eyes travelled around the room, going from each picture on Kennedy's wall to her bookcase. He nodded approvingly at some of the books she owned, perhaps either recognizing them or reading them himself. He struck her as someone who read.

"Last time I checked my office wasn't a library."

Steve blushed a rosy pink. "Sorry," he uttered apologetically.

"Don't worry, I'm just teasing." Kennedy skimmed through a page of the report given to her while stating, "So, first-ever mission with SHIELD is officially complete. How does it feel?"

"Like I found something that I already know—that I already understand. All except the technology. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it all."

"Yeah, there's definitely a lot to learn. If I'm being honest, I'm not much of a technology person myself," she revealed.

"I can tell." Steve gave another glance at her bookcase before asking, "Any recommendations?" He pulled out a small notebook from his back pocket along with a ballpoint pen and flipped it open.

"You have a list?"

"Gotta catch up somehow?" Kennedy couldn't help but giggle just a little bit at his alleged list. "Are you gonna keep laughing or are you gonna give me something to add?"

"All right, all right. But you can't just put these with the rest. You have to make a separate column for books."

"Yes ma'am."

Kennedy contemplated which books to mention, wondering what his tastes in literature even were. Ultimately, she decided on three. "1984 by George Orwell, The Handmaid's Tale, and Harry Potter. That last one's actually a middle-grade series, but you _cannot_ go without reading it. The first book is the Philosopher's Stone and they're all by J.K. Rowling."

Steve jotted down each book on his paper then clicked his pen. "Looks like I have a lot of books on my hands."

"Hopefully you enjoy them. However, let them not distract you in any way, shape, or form, from work," she warned.

"Wouldn't dream of it, Agent Jacobson."

With a cheeky smile, he exited Kennedy's office, leaving her filled with new thoughts that materialized every few seconds. Life was giving her a chance to build something new and she wasn't sure whether she should trust it or not. It was rare that doors toward friendship opened for Kennedy, and when they did, she proceeded with caution. It wasn't that Steve was somehow someone she wouldn't want in her life. He was kind and funny, and a leader above all. But he was also honest. And Kennedy, on the other hand... she'd been lying to him all along.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed this one! We never got to see many work scenes with SHIELD agents (I mean unless you watched Agents of SHIELD) that are lighthearted, so I decided to add a bit of that, sprinkled in with a bit of Steve beginning to acclimate to the new world. If you have any feedback, please let me know in the comments! 
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> P.S. I wrote this chapter a long time ago, so let's just pretend that the Harry Potter series was an autobiography and live under that suspension of disbelief.


	4. In Order to Belong

**_Washington, DC, 2012_ **

**"Oh no no no. Fury, what is this?"**

SHIELD was known for many things, one of which being their extensive line of aircraft. From their line of helicarriers to the hundreds of quinjets, SHIELD had it all. This clearly didn't impress Tony Stark.

Tony shook his head in dismay as he took a closer look at the current blueprints for the helicarriers. "At this point in the game turbines are practically ancient."

Fury crossed his arms and struck the most exasperated look he could muster while sporting an eyepatch. He had contacted Mr. Stark a few days prior in search of someone who could revise SHIELD's current aerospace technology. Kennedy had little to no idea why, though she was certain it related to an upcoming project Fury was concocting. After all, he was always like this; he had a constant desire to be ten steps ahead of everyone else, all of which led to Maria and Kennedy joining him and Stark at the bottom level of SHIELD headquarters where all SHIELD aircraft resided.

"What would you suggest then, Mr. Stark," Fury replied coolly.

Tony furrowed his brows and fixated on the blueprint before his face lit up. "Repulsor engines."

The rest of them turned to Tony, confusion written all over their faces.

"I use them on a smaller scale with my Iron Man armour, but with the right design, I—"

" _We,"_ Fury cut in.

"—could make them fully functional for something as large as a helicarrier. I'm talking major upgrades to the speed, range, and altitude of this thing."

Tony went on to explain the science behind the repulsors with large hand movements and passion in every word. He then asked for a pen and wrote out the physics behind the designs overtop the current blueprints. It was clear that he relished this type of stuff, and it was nice to see someone of his sort admire something more than his reflection. Kennedy barely understood a word he spoke—engineering was never her strong suit—but she had to give credit where credit was due.

"This is absolute genius, Mr. Stark."

"Oh no, Kennedy. Don't feed his ego even more," Maria commented.

"No, no, no, let her finish. Genius was it?"

"These repulsor engines could completely change the game for SHIELD aircraft," started Fury, moving the conversation back on track. "I'm going to need precise designs sent to the mechanical engineering team."

"Not so fast. I'm more than happy to help, but I will be needing compensation."

" _Compensation?_ "

"But for an old friend, I'm willing to give a discount."

Their voices all quieted as they stared at Tony in disbelief.

"Is he always like this?" Kennedy asked.

"Unfortunately, yes."

Fury stalked off with Maria at his heels, which left Tony and Kennedy with the soon-to-be-improved aircraft. She wasn't quite sure what to say, so she twiddled with her thumbs and stared straight ahead. It didn't take long for Tony to start a conversation. He was most definitely the talkative type.

"You know, I must say I was quite surprised to learn you were assistant director."

Kennedy thought back to their first interaction to remember exactly what he said. "Because I look young?" she questioned with a dry laugh.

"Not just that. I just assumed that you were in a position like Natasha's. You guys looked quite close. I guess I thought you worked together."

She looked away from Tony in a desperate attempt to focus solely on all the different moving parts in front of them. Perhaps if she honed in on all the sounds of workers pushing products left and right she could ignore the twinge she got in her heart. It was far from the first time Kennedy had been compared to Natasha. At this point, she should've been used to it. She should've been used to a lot of things that she simply wasn't. But she couldn't blame it on a well-intentioned comment. This was on her and she had to pull herself together.

The corners of Kennedy's lips pulled into a tight smile as she said, "Honest mistake. Paperwork and mission plans are more my forte. And occasionally calling the shots."

Tony gave an approving nod. "So, how long have you known the notorious Black Widow for?"

"Since I joined SHIELD when I was around nineteen."

"Wow. So you must know a lot of stories then." Tony looked around the area then leaned closer. "I'm ninety percent sure she's listening in somehow, but between you and me, any top-secret spy stories? Dangerous missions before SHIELD? Were you in on the Natalie Rushman thing?"

They were lighthearted questions that she should've been laughing at. Instead, she actually thought about it. What did she really know?

"Unfortunately those aren't my stories to tell. I'm sure Natasha will come around. You guys are a team now."

Kennedy excused herself, saying she had lots of work to attend to, and rushed to the safe haven which was her office. When she locked the door she was by herself with the thoughts that ate at her insides. Keeping busy did nothing for her—every time she'd try to write something down she'd find herself clicking her pen endlessly. Words didn't come; she'd stare at the paper of reports, switch to another when she noticed she wasn't doing anything, then stare once more. In a whole day, she'd gotten through a record low of ten pages spread between three different mission reports.

The car ride back did not make things any better. Between Kennedy's sluggish day, the traffic, and her impending road rage, all she wanted was to sit back on her armchair and watch the most stupid but emotionally investing show she could find.

She took the stairs up to her apartment as the elevator was once again busted, passed by the neighbour who hated her—an old lady who gave her nothing but glares all because of a few minor incidents and finally reached home.

The conversation from earlier raced around Kennedy's head along with every other comparison she'd received thus far. _I thought you did what Natasha did? Why don't you ever go on missions like Natasha? Are you a spy like Natasha? Natasha, Natasha, Natasha..._

Kennedy joined SHIELD at the ripe age of nineteen; Natasha was the one who trained her. From the moment she met her, she knew Nat was talented at what she did, more so than Kennedy would be. In the back of her head, there was always a part of her that wanted to be more like Nat and less like who she was before SHIELD.

In the beginning, Kennedy was a Level 1 given simple orders and tasks. It wasn't long before people started noticing she had a little more capability in her. Despite this, she wasn't allowed to fight, not like other agents. She was Fury's hail Mary play, only to be used when there was no other viable option. She quietly rose in rank with enough tasks to make her position warranted in the eyes of others, but never enough to make her see things in the same light. Kennedy always knew a little less and had to conceal a little more.

Her phone vibrated from where it was placed on her bedside table. _Speak of the devil_ , she thought as she picked it up. Her thumb hovered over the answer button as she stared at Nat's profile picture, thinking back to what Tony had asked and what she couldn't answer.

Kennedy slid her thumb over and declined the call, placing her phone back where it was. Perhaps it wasn't the fact that she was compared to Natasha, but that she wasn't enough like her. Kennedy was supposed to do what she did. The part of her that wanted to be more like Nat still existed, and doing what Natasha did was exactly what it was asking for.

• • • • •

Two months had gone by since the Belgium incident with trials already taking place. Though not all of the arrested members were connected to larger groups already on watch by INTERPOL, their international crimes and abduction of SHIELD agents sent them straight to prison. STRIKE, led once again by Captain Rogers, was on another mission. An attack was made during a meeting one of the US ambassadors had in the Netherlands. Since Fury was out of the country on business, Maria and Kennedy had been left to orchestrate the mission.

_"What do we know about the attack?" asked Steve, accompanied by Natasha and Rumlow._

_"It was at the US embassy in the Hague," Kennedy stated. "The ambassador managed to escape safely, but hostiles are still in play. Because the entire city is on lockdown, the ambassador has yet to leave the country."_

_Steve furrowed his brows. "Why an attack on the ambassador...?"_

_"Looks like someone has a gripe with the United States," quipped Nat. "Any idea where these people came from?"_

_Maria shook her head. "Currently no. The pictures we retrieved are the most we've got at the moment."_

_"I love doing all the dirty work." Nat often liked to ease the tense mood with her witty and sarcastic remarks. Steve sighed in return to them, more interested in the mission at hand._

_"We'll need STRIKE members at every point in the city. No one gets in and no one comes out until these people are caught."_

_"The military is already aware of that fact. They reported an overwhelming amount of advanced weaponry." Kennedy turned to get a look at every member of the STRIKE team. "You guys know the drill. Save as many people as you can, and please be careful."_

_"Don't worry about us," said Nat. "We always are."_

_Kennedy_ _gave a small, appreciative smile toward Nat_ _asha_ _._ _She_ _could always tell when_ _Kennedy_ _was nervous and always knew when and how to reassure her. Nat smiled in return, subtle but easy for Kennedy to spot._

_"Captain Rogers, you can take it from here."_

_Steve said a few more words on the plan of attack, making sure everyone knew what they were doing. Though Kennedy was of a higher rank, she couldn't help but admire his ability to lead. They didn't call him the greatest soldier who ever lived for nothing._

_"You guys heard the captain," said Rumlow. "STRIKE team, let's head out."_

And they were still out now. They'd been gone for the past three days—a little longer than Kennedy expected—thoroughly ensuring the city was safe and free of terrorists. She was hoping to get some sort of call or message on the state of their mission, but she'd sadly been left in the dark. All that there was left to do was work as she usually would and hope for the best.

Evening arose and the sun sunk, casting orange and pink hues on the Potomac River. Deciding to take a short break, Kennedy turned her desk chair around to gaze at the view beyond her. Trees were sprinkled throughout the city, their leaves rustling with the wind. City lights began to flicker on in their bright whites and yellows, and there were hints all around of a busy city. It was a scene she wished she could replicate. Sadly, with no artistic talent, nor the time dedicated to developing said non-existent talent, Kennedy was left with her wallet and any nature photo she could find.

As the sky darkened, Kennedy figured it was time to head home. She packed up her things and sped off, checking her phone as she walked. It looked like she missed an update during her all-consuming work. Just as she was about to read it, she ran straight into someone.

"Oh my God I'm so—" Kennedy raised her eyes, and who else did it turn out to be other than— "Steve?" She cleared her throat realizing her mistake immediately. "Um, Captain Rogers, you're back. How did the mission go?"

"I wouldn't say it was all smooth sailing, but the most important thing is that the city is safe. All the other details will be coming your way soon."

"Perfect. Thank you, Captain."

Kennedy was about to continue the trek to her car when Steve commented, "You know, you can continue calling me Steve. It's just us two."

"No, no, no, that'd be way too...informal," she responded.

"Yeah, that's kinda the point." Kennedy rolled her eyes while Steve asked, "Where you headed to?"

"My car. Surprise, surprise, I don't live in my office."

He chuckled then offered to come along, as he was on his way to his motorcycle. Silently, Kennedy wondered if the STRIKE team was still here as well, but decided against questioning him. So they walked quietly, each of them waiting for the other to say something.

"For someone who claims to not be a technology person I'd assume you'd actually look up from your phone when walking."

"For your information _Rogers_ , I was trying to check an update I received on _your_ mission." She paused for a moment, then added, "I assumed it was a success considering I bumped into you and you were in one piece, not seven."

"Pretty accurate assumption in my books."

Once they reached the parking lot, Kennedy's eyes scanned the area for a black car. It wasn't difficult at all, seeing as most agents had left. She gave a brisk wave to Steve, then walked off, suddenly eager to get home and sleep.

Unlocking the car, she stepped inside and made herself comfortable before getting her key to ignite it. Her fingers clasped around her key and twisted it. Nothing turned on. Sighing, Kennedy took her key out and tried again. Her car struggled but still wouldn't start. From the corner of her eye, she noticed something seep through the tiny gap between the hood and the rest of the car. She grumbled and forced herself out to see what was wrong.

Kennedy was greeted with a large concentration of smoke after opening up the hood. Normally she'd get angry, but considering how drained she was, she stood passively, wondering why the one time she finally wanted to go home she was met with trouble.

From behind her, she heard the familiar rumble of a motorcycle.

"Need a ride?"

"It's fine. I'm sure I can fix this," Kennedy replied to Steve.

"Yeah? How?" Based on his tone, she could sense the skeptical look he was most definitely shooting her.

She took a deeper look into the hood knowing full well she didn't understand any of it. Tentatively, she said, "I was planning to figure that out as I go."

As Kennedy turned around, she noticed a growing grin on Steve's face. "All right, I'll leave you to your mechanic work, though just a heads up, you might end up paying for a taxi or walking home in heels."

"Probably safer than stepping onto that thing," she remarked as he was about to leave.

Steve stopped the motorcycle and faced her, ready to defend his choice of transport. "Harleys have gotten me through all of World War Two. Not a single scratch on me."

"Pretty sure that's due to you being a super-soldier."

Kennedy took a long look at her car, laying out the pros and cons of each choice she had ahead of her. She was no mechanic. In fact, she'd most certainly make things worse for her already suffering vehicle and her wallet. Walking was out of the question and she found taxis always overcharging. That left Steve and his Harley Davidson. It wasn't just the fact that she'd never been on a motorcycle and she was leaning on absolutely terrified, but the fact that she had to be caught at the one time in which she couldn't handle things herself.

At any other point in time, Kennedy would've stood her ground, but today was not that day. She crossed her arms and gave a begrudging agreement. "But if I die it's on you," she added as she hopped on behind Steve, taking in the iconic shield he had strapped on his back.

"You're not going to die. Now, where exactly am I taking you?" Kennedy pulled out her phone and showed him a map from the Triskelion to her apartment. Once he got a good look, he revved up the engine. She felt a lump build up in her throat— _I really decided to do this didn't I?_ Steve pressed the gas pedal and they were off into the night.

The bright yellows of the street lights became a haze as they sped past each one; the wind whipped through her hair and sent chills down her arms. At one stoplight, Steve asked, "Enjoying the ride? Scale from one to ten."

"Uhh...five?"

"Just five?!" Steve exclaimed.

"I think I made it fairly clear that I wasn't a motorcycle fan."

The light switched from red to green. "And I think I might be able to change your mind."

They raced across the intersection, picking up speed by the second. A scream threatened to break away, but she held it in, simply because she didn'twant to seem like a complete chicken. She wrapped her arms around Steve's torso, ready to shut her eyes for the rest of the ride. Just as she was about to, Kennedy caught glimpses of the little things that made her adore Washington: the small shops with their eye-catching displays, the trees at every corner with their leaves that were in the midst of changing colour, and the Washington Monument looming in the distance. Instead of screaming, she found herself laughing with glee at everything she saw and how fleeting it was before the next thing came into view.

In no more than twenty minutes, they reached Kennedy's apartment. Steve slowed to a stop, getting off first then extending his hand to help her like the gentleman he undoubtedly was.

"Well look at that," he started. "No death and you seemed to enjoy yourself by the end of it."

Kennedy rolled her eyes in response, unwilling to admit that she was proven wrong.

"Need a ride tomorrow morning too? I'll bring a helmet if it makes you feel any better."

A light laugh escaped from her lips. "It's okay, I think I'll be good for tomorrow. Then hopefully I can get my car fixed."

"Oh, and here I thought you were going to fix it yourself." Steve caught on pretty quickly that Kennedy could not for the life of her fix a car, but she did appreciate him playing along. "Well, uh, I better head off."

Steve got back on his Harley and turned the key, bringing the motorcycle back to life.

"Thank you for the ride, Captain Rogers."

"Steve," he corrected.

"Right. Steve."

"Any time, Ms. Jacobson. Or can I call you Kennedy?" She gave another eye roll to which Steve smiled at. "Goodnight." And just like that, he was off.

Kennedy crossed her arms as she processed everything that had just happened in the last half hour. Normally anyone that seemingly perfect would be off-putting, yet with Steve, it was the complete opposite. Despite the irregular turn his life took, he somehow remained grounded as if he wasn't the leader of the Avengers.

Kennedy was pulled out of her thoughts by her not-so-friendly neighbour who walked toward the building with a few bags in her hand. She appeared shocked like she had seen a ghost.

"Well don't just stand there," she snapped at Kennedy. "Help an old woman with her bags."

The neighbour shoved her bags in Kennedy's arms then turned back to face the road. "Are my eyes playing tricks on me, or was that Captain America I just saw riding down the street on a motorcycle?"

Kennedy smiled knowingly while she looked down the street. "Yeah, yeah it was."

• • • • •

It was the next morning, far too early to be awake, and Kennedy lied on the floor of a SHIELD training room, Natasha standing right above her. Fury always had Kennedy follow up on her training, his reasoning being that she shouldn't always put her eggs in one basket, that basket being her abnormal 'abilities'. And who better to teach her all the moves in order to defend herself and Fury other than the Black Widow herself. The goal was to create a ruthless fighter, however, Kennedy always felt it to be more of a confidence blow than anything else.

"Kennedy, you have to be quicker than that," Nat scolded. "Right now I'm coming at you with nothing but my hands, what if I had a gun and I shot directly at your head."

She sighed then sat up. "Then I'd raise my hand up like this"—Kennedy repeated the motion she described, staring directly at Natasha—"and I'd take in all the energy."

"You know you can't—"

"Besides," she said, cutting Nat off. "You wouldn't shoot me so there's no point in all these what-ifs."

Natasha let out a defeated sigh, staring pointedly at Kennedy. "Why are you being so difficult? You're barely even trying."

" _Not trying_ ," Kennedy exclaimed. "Can you not see me right now?" Sweat trickled down her temples and her face glistened while she took deep breaths to cool herself down. Her hair was a frizzy, tied-up mess with baby hairs that stuck to her forehead.

"Then get up, and let's go again."

Kennedy groaned and sluggishly stood up before focusing. Squaring her shoulders, she mentally and physically prepared herself for every hit and every blow Nat would throw at her. After a final deep breath, she gave Nat a nod and she came straight at her.

Natasha was as quick as lightning, every punch requiring all of Kennedy's energy to deflect. Nat aimed high at first and she ducked, only for Nat to knee her in the gut. She cursed from the pain, hating that Nat set that up perfectly.

Kennedy aimed at her knee, kicking it, and she stumbled for a fraction of a second before whipping her leg around to get Kennedy by the ankles. Jumping, she scarcely avoided the hit. Then, Nat grabbed Kennedy by the arm and swung herself around her: the classic Black Widow move. She brought Kennedy straight to the ground in a matter of seconds as she did with every one of her opponents.

Fatigue ran through Kennedy as she was desperate for air. Her mouth was dry and she could sense the strain in her muscles that worked hard to keep her going. Despite it all, Kennedy forced herself to do more. Using her hands, she pushed her entire body off of the floor, landing on her feet. Nat tilted her head with a smirk, clearly not finished with Kennedy yet.

Kennedy charged at Nat and jumped while using her feet to knock her backwards. Nat recovered as Kennedy rolled to get back on her toes, and the battle continued.

Kennedy's mind was buzzing with every single tactic that had been ingrained in her head since she started training—when to block, when to dodge, when to attack. She pushed herself harder than the other times, a part of her wanting to prove that she could indeed handle this.

Natasha began to play defence as Kennedy made her step back, pushing her to the corner of the room. _I had her,_ she thought. _I could win. For the first time since I'd met her, I could win._ Until Kennedy stuck her arm out, she truly believed she could.

It was an instinct almost impossible to break from the day Kennedy had gotten her powers. Her mind always knew the perfect time to take, to absorb, to use. It was all so easy before the chip in her neck became the one to tell her when and where she could unleash her current biggest secret.

A second too late was when Kennedy realized that nothing would happen and when Nat took advantage of this. She grabbed Kennedy's arm and twisted it so it was on her back. The ache was enough for Kennedy to yell, "Okay!"

Nat released Kennedy from her grip and she took that freedom to begin heading off from the training room.

"You did really well that time," Nat said. "Almost had me." Kennedy remained silent, nodding but neglecting to turn around. "If the fight was real, make a fist and punch the opponent directly in the throat." When Kennedy still didn't answer, Nat asked, "Where are you going?"

"Shooting range," she said quickly.

"Did you want me to come with you?"

"It's all right, I know what I'm doing."

Before Natasha had the chance to call Kennedy out for what she said, Kennedy walked out the door without a single glance back. Her footsteps were swift and decisive as she went through every turn and bend to get to the indoor shooting range. Once inside, she was met with a few large, black targets with thin white circles and numbering on them. Bringing noise-cancelling muffs over her ears and protective glasses over her eyes, Kennedy grabbed a pistol and stood directly across a target. Her breathing slowed and she took her stance; her eyes squinted ever so slightly as she raised the gun. Each second brought her back to the first time she'd ever stood in this room, the first time she'd ever held a gun from SHIELD, and what always made her pull the trigger.

_"Both hands on the handle of the gun, aim, and shoot," said Agent Romanoff as she simultaneously repeated those actions. Kennedy stood next to her, silent as the bullet hit the target exactly in its centre. As she watched, her mind wandered from a starry night that she wished she could see to her country that she wished she was back in. Her father, her mother, her sister... Kennedy wanted to go back—back to before everything fell apart._

_Kennedy was pulled out of her thoughts at the sound of Agent Romanoff's voice._

_"Your turn, Kennedy." The name made her squirm on the inside. It sounded too English, too unlike her. She grabbed a handgun anyway and held it just as Agent Romanoff had shown her how, the simple mantra circling in her head. But Kennedy couldn't focus. The target a couple of metres away from her transformed into her mother as she was hauled away from Kennedy while she laid helplessly on the floor. Kennedy's grip loosened and the handgun fell to the ground, her along with it. Kennedy landed on her knees, shaking as tears ran down her face._

_She wasn't sure exactly when Agent Romanoff sat down with her, but when she did, she placed a hand on Kennedy's shoulder. When her green eyes met Kennedy's dark brown ones, she gave her a look, not of pity, but of empathy. As Kennedy cried she brought her in closer for a hug. Agent Romanoff didn't speak, instead opting to let Kennedy feel what she felt in the moment. And she was thankful for that. Once Kennedy couldn't cry any longer, she wiped her swollen eyes and brushed the wisps of hair out of her face._

_"Sorry, I'm getting all hysterical." she forced a laugh in an effort to convince herself that everything was fine despite that being a lie. "It's just...it hurts."_

_"It's going to for a while," Agent Romanoff said. "But one day it'll be all but just another battle wound that you survived through. Things can't stay bad forever."_

_"How do you know?"_

_She thought for a moment, then said, "Because I'm here now with SHIELD, and you are too. I don't know if there's a big interconnected reason for it, but what I do know is that we have to make the most of it." She took Kennedy's hands and guided her up off the floor. "SHIELD fights for the protection of civilians so we as SHIELD agents must do the same." Agent Romanoff picked up the dropped gun and handed it to me. "And sometimes we have no choice but to use these."_

_"I can't."_

_"You can. Use your emotions and channel them. Think about all the people you knew that deserved to be brought justice. Then put both hands on the handle, aim, and shoot."_

_It took a few weeks just to get Kennedy shooting. Then a few months to actually hit anywhere near the centre of the target. She had substantially improved after that, each shot increasing in precision every time she practiced. The same little mantra played in her head, except this time she added something else. Each time Kennedy aimed the gun and stared at the target, she thought of her mom. She thought of how her mother didn't deserve the fate she received, nor did any other innocent person in danger. Her mother's face would appear in Kennedy's head as she'd take her stance, both hands steady and around the handle of the gun. She'd picture herself with the ability to change what had happened, aim..._

Three bullets went flying toward the target. Kennedy smiled with satisfaction as her posture relaxed. 3 bullseyes. Before she could begin again, she heard the door to the shooting range open. Shifting her gaze, she checked to see who the intruder was, then immediately placed the pistol down.

"Director Fury," Kennedy greeted. Fury was back and appearing as tense as ever, the eye not covered by his black patch giving me a hard gaze.

"Agent Jacobson, I believe we have a pressing matter on our hands. I need your help."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was definitely a longer chapter. I really wanted to emphasize Kennedy's insecurities being a part of SHIELD and how it all relates to how she got there. She's not supposed to be, at least in the beginning, this super confident badass hero. I know there must've been some people wondering about her ranking in SHIELD, so I hope this chapter gave a better explanation on why. Please leave any feedback if you have any as I'd absolutely love to read it! 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	5. Capabilities

**_Washington, DC, 2012_ **

**Kennedy sat across from Fury in his office** , tapping her foot as he pulled out a file. One irritated glance was all it took for her to understand that her fidgeting was not welcome.

"Sorry," she muttered, reverting to twiddling her thumbs. Fury placed the file on his desk and slid it over to Kennedy, beckoning her to read it. "It's from the Netherlands mission," she said aloud.

"Has Captain Rogers given you any details on it?"

"No...well, uh, I don't know."

" _You don't know?_ "

Kennedy hesitated in an attempt to find an answer that would decrease the amount of exasperation Fury would undoubtedly feel. "I had training in the morning and then I practiced my shots..."

Surprisingly, Fury simply sighed and continued. "Well, if you had bothered to check or ask, you'd know that many of the assailants escaped."

"How?" she demanded, ignoring the jab he sent her way.

"Because they weren't alone." More papers made their way to Fury's desk and Kennedy took a look at them. They were zoomed-in satellite images showing people she didn't recognize handling unclear objects.

"What is this?"

"It's proof of my theory." When her eyebrow raised, Fury elaborated. "Chitauri debris from the Battle of New York is being sold through the black market."

"Fury..." Kennedy began, "that's a very big claim to make."

"So big that it might just be true. After retrieving images of these men in New York, I went on to see if there were any satellite images taken of the Netherlands mission. The same men spotted in New York were at the site of the incident in Hague." Kennedy observed that photo as well, her brain trying to come up with another reason as to why they'd be there. "The location in which they were at in New York is only two blocks away from a prime area of Chitauri debris that is currently in the midst of being cleaned. And the assailants that were caught shockingly had a small criminal record—mostly little thefts here and there."

"So you mean to tell me that you believe the men spotted in New York stole Chitauri debris and paid people in that debris to attack a US ambassador in the Netherlands?" The idea was crazy. Everyone knew for a fact that Fury had a tendency to worry, to analyze every possible outcome before it came to fruition. Ultimately, it was how he remained so ahead of the curve from the rest. But it also caused his growing paranoia.

Fury clasped his hands and rested them on his desk. "Listen," he started with a sigh, "I know you think this is a stretch, but we can't risk being wrong about it. We're talking alien debris from other galaxies."

"I know. But what can I possibly do if we aren't at least ninety percent sure this could be happening?"

"The assailants are currently locked up. Right now I've already got Natasha ready to interrogate them. If anything suggests that what I think is happening _is_ happening, then you're in."

"Why not call the Avengers?" Kennedy inquired. "I mean the whole purpose of starting the Avengers Initiative was to have a group of heroes that could fight against stuff like this."

Something about the way Fury stared at her let her know that getting the Avengers involved was less than ideal.

"Calling the Avengers would only make this problem larger than it needs to be. Think of what would happen if the whole world were to know."

"Then there could be laws created to regulate—"

Cutting her off, Fury declared, "If in the right hands these leftover Chitauri parts could pave the way for many breakthroughs within SHIELD. Faster quinjets, improved weaponry..."

"Last time you messed with intergalactic objects a portal opened from the sky and an Asgardian god came down to Earth and nearly took control of all of us."

"And that there was an international problem. This isn't. Besides," Fury said, "some of these Chitauri parts could be emitting high amounts of energy. Not one Avenger can consciously absorb it. But you can."

Fury stood up and gazed through his floor-to-ceiling windows, pacing every couple of seconds. When he finally turned back to Kennedy, he asked, "Do you know why I hired you?"

"Because the world is getting crazier by the day, and you need someone to protect you from it," she responded. "You've only said it about a hundred times."

"I've seen a lot over the years, Kennedy. But it's been a long time since I've encountered someone with powers like yours. Which is why I need you. Find the Chitauri debris, deactivate what needs to be deactivated, and send the location. I'll decide what we do from there. Got it?"

"Woah," she started, "You can't ask me to do this without at least saying please."

"No."

"Yes."

" _No_."

"I'm not moving until you say it," she insisted, levelling her gaze to match Fury's.

After a ten-second stare down, Fury finally caved. "Please. There, you happy?"

"Very much so, actually." It was very small, almost undetectable, but for a moment Kennedy swore she caught a hint of a smile from Fury.

"Your powers should be reactivated in the next couple of hours. Make sure to get as much information from Natasha as you can right after she's finished."

She nodded then stood, heading toward the door of Fury's spacious office.

"You've got a lot of work on your hands, Kennedy. I'm counting on you to get the job done."

"I know," she replied.

"Then don't let me down."

• • • • •

****Evening approached Washington, DC as Kennedy watched SHIELD agents take the criminals from the Netherlands incident away. Natasha stood next to her, her face cold and calculating, not a single bit of emotion in sight. Kennedy, on the other hand, had her arms crossed while she anticipated the information revealed from the interrogation. Once the room was empty and silent, the persona Nat held up like a veil slowly slipped away.

"How'd it go," Kennedy asked.

Nat didn't answer at first. Instead, her eyes remained on the glass separating the questioner and the one in question. She was tense and when she finally turned to respond, Kennedy could see the worry etched in her face. She already knew the answer she was getting, but perhaps her mind needed to hear it from Natasha's voice first for it to be real.

"Fury's right," she said. "I don't know how many people are involved, but it's growing."

"What'd they tell you?"

"A group from eastern Europe formed as a response to a growing hatred of American customs and their lack of control on internationally concerning catastrophes that occur here. The Chitauri debris was simply a bonus. Bribe people with intergalactic material that could be the key to many discoveries to get them to do your bidding."

Silence grew as Kennedy pondered the implications of this whole ordeal. If this relatively unknown group was able to get enough people working as their puppets, it was possible for them to knock out even bigger American institutions.

"Well," she started, "I guess I'm stepping in then."

"Are you sure that's the best play?"

She furrowed her brows in response. "Well, it's what Fury asked me to do. It's not about what I think."

"You know, it's not as fun fighting bad guys as you might think. And this isn't your standard underground transaction," Nat added.

"Why can't you just trust that I'll get it done, Nat—"

"It's not that."

"Then what is it?"

When she didn't say anything, opting to stare ahead, Kennedy sighed exasperatedly. "I'm more capable than I was when I was nineteen, Nat."

With nothing left to do in an interrogation room, she began to walk out, her mind already set on her plan of action.

"If you think you're gonna leave getting the last word this time then you're sadly mistaken."

Kennedy shook her head as she walked out. Natasha loved getting the last word.

• • • • • 

****Kennedy stared at the clock, fixated on the moving handles. 4:58, the clock read. 4:59... 5:00 PM. Standing up from her desk, she departed her office and locked it whilst she ignored the seemingly perpetual flutters in her stomach. She was so filled with nerves it felt better to stay locked up in her apartment.

_No,_ said her subconsciousness, _you've got this._

"I've got this," Kennedy whispered in response, then headed into the elevator. "I've got this," she repeated more confidently as she sped past SHIELD agents on the main floor.

"Hey Kennedy!" she heard someone call. Immediately, Kennedy matched the voice to the face of Clint and turned around, only to see him with Natasha and Steve.

"What Clint? I'm kinda in a hurry."

"You're always in a hurry. You know, sometimes I think you hate the place—you're always running to get out," Clint jested.

Kennedy rolled her eyes and playfully pushed him. "Not true."

He chuckled, then inquired, "So where are you going then if you're in such a rush?"

Before she could construct something even close to a lie, Natasha stepped in.

"SHIELD meeting. Fury isn't much of a fan of sitting at a long table for hours listening to people argue, so he sent good ol' Kennedy instead."

Clint squinted his eyes at first with skepticism. "How long you gone for?"

"A few weeks actually. I'm visiting a couple relatives afterward."

_Keep cool, keep calm, don't give any reason for them to question you._ The silent pause was the most agonizing—every moment that passed made her think that they could see her lies written on her forehead. Luckily for her, Clint put a stop to the quiet.

"Well, have fun talking to old, boring men all day."

One awkward laugh and a simple goodbye later and Kennedy was out. As she walked in the other direction, she couldn't help but catch some of their distant, lighthearted conversation.

"It's crazy because you would've been one of those old, boring men if, you know, you didn't stop ageing for several decades," Clint remarked toward Steve.

"Thanks, Barton."

"I mean, Steve seems pretty spry for ninety," Natasha quipped.

In her head, Kennedy imagined what it'd be like to have a group of close friends, one with playfulness and amity and banter. It sure seemed nice, or at least that's what Nat, Clint, and Steve made it out to be.

Kennedy pulled herself away from those thoughts. _Now's not the time to long sorrowfully. Focus._

And she did. When she arrived at her apartment, she packed all the things she felt she'd need for this mission, whether it'd last a few days or a few weeks. Admittedly, Kennedy wasn't too sure, so she gave herself roughly a month of time. The quicker she finished the better, and getting an extra few weeks off if she did was a definite bonus.

While in the midst of organizing everything, her phone beeped and she picked it up off her bedside table.

**Natasha:** _Good luck. Not that you need it._

Kennedy couldn't help the grin that grew on her face. If she was upset with her before, she certainly wasn't now. It was hard to stay irritated with someone like Natasha. She had a charm about her that everyone was drawn to whether they liked it or not. Kennedy thought back to earlier and was instantly grateful for how quick she covered for her.

After sending Nat a quick _thank you_ text, Kennedy did some last-minute tidying, then headed out, taking the first flight she could get to Belarus.

• • • • •

****With every SHIELD mission that came about and every incident that occurred, Kennedy always wondered why the perpetrators picked _that_ specific location. If the place was densely populated, was it to invoke fear amongst millions of civilians? If the opposite, an easy hideout? Those were the most common responses, yet she often questioned whether there was anything else that made a location so perfect for a criminal.

After arriving in the capital city Minsk, Kennedy brought her things to a hotel she booked for her stay, then quickly began reviewing the material she'd need for the mission. The puppets—or so she'd like to refer them as—from the interrogation revealed that the group in question called themselves the Rampants for how quickly they were able to expand. They encountered these Rampants at a bar on the outskirts of the city, looking for a way to make money through gambling. They were approached soon after and given an even better offer.

The base of the Rampants was unknown, same with their leader, but there was enough for Kennedy to begin what would be one of the biggest missions she'd ever receive.

An hour later was when she walked into the bar in casual, inconspicuous attire and a camera hidden in a brown bag. She was first met with the pungent smell of alcohol and the thickness of the air. The bar was filled with people, from those ordering drinks to those playing poker. Kennedy took a seat off to the side and took in all the action, hoping she didn't stick out as much as she thought she did. It surely wasn't the first time being a black woman in a sea full of white, yet she still felt like the sore thumb nonetheless.

Kennedy's heart rate increased when her eye caught something. One of the people gambling had been approached by a man and a woman, both tall and blond. The three moved to a few free stools at the bar and ordered drinks, then began chatting.

Pulling out her camera, she took two quick shots then tucked it safely into her bag. Kennedy wasn't too sure what Fury would do with the information, or if he'd even care at all. His main goal was retrieving the stolen Chitauri debris, but he never mentioned much on the legal side of the mission. Either way, she kept the photos in case they could be used later.

She repeated this process for several days: going into the bar, ordering something to blend in, and watching the gamblers. The same man and woman would intervene, sometimes with more of their friends, and sometimes with no more than themselves. After a week's worth of staking out and compiling evidence, Kennedy moved onto her next step: getting them to take her to their base.

The next day, she walked into the bar with a load of cash to gamble and a newfound understanding of the game Poker. She ordered a drink then found a table of people gathering around to play. Before Kennedy got the chance to sit down, the man and woman she'd seen over the past week approached her. When they started speaking, she pulled out a translator.

The two nodded, then guided her to a booth at the corner of the bar. Kennedy took a seat across from them, clasping her hands over the table. Once they got a good look at her, the man said, "I am guessing you were trying to win a little extra cash that you don't have, huh?" His accent was thick and Slavic, to the point in which she had to think harder to make out each English word.

After she agreed to his point, he continued. "Where are you from?"

"Why should I tell you," Kennedy responded in the best British accent she could muster. She noticed them begin to ease up a little more. _Perfect_.

"I suppose your life story does not matter," said the woman. "But I must tell you that throwing your money away like that won't get you anywhere, not when there are better offers out there."

"Like what?"

The man leaned onto the table and looked her dead in the eye. "What if we told you that we had never before seen intergalactic objects."

"Then I'd think you were trying to scam me."

"What are you willing to do for money?" asked the woman.

"Anything." She winced on the inside, knowing that it wasn't true. The hardest characters to play were the ones least like yourself, and though she hated being in the position now, she knew she was already doing the same thing back in the States.

"Then trust us when we say we are not scamming you."

"A few months ago, there was an attack in New York City," started the man. "It was all over the news. The Avengers against aliens from the sky."

"I've seen it."

"Well then you must know that that fight made a lot of mess in New York, and left a lot of stuff behind. Intergalactic objects, some of which contain immeasurable amounts of energy, at least on anything we have. You could use the energy firsthand, sell it, whatever you want."

"And what's the catch?"

"Good, good. You are aware that in the world of business there must always be some sort of exchange." Leaning back, the man nonchalantly pronounced, "A simple task, of course with guidance from us. So long as you keep our names out of it and successfully complete the task, we'll give you enough to keep you comfortable. Are you in?"

Kennedy pretended to hesitate as if she was weighing options. After a few moments, she stuck out her hand and shook both the woman's and the man's. "I'll do it."

• • • • •

****The sun had set in Minsk, Belarus, and Kennedy headed back to the bar to meet with the man and woman whose names she still didn't know by now. She waited patiently at the corner of the building, zipping up her leather jacket to warm herself up from the wind that whipped against her. After feeling a tap on her shoulder from behind, her guard quickly went up.

"Come with us."

They guided her to their car, then took her phone and blindfolded her when she got in.

"Just so our location isn't shared to just anyone."

"This is awfully like a kidnapping," Kennedy shot at them.

"If we wanted to kidnap you we would've done it already," the woman snapped back. "You've been at the bar all week, haven't you?"

The engine roared and Kennedy felt the car speed away, though all she could see was black. The roads were bumpy and the turns were sharp, how many of them actually being necessary, she wasn't sure. The feeling of not knowing where she was going made her apprehensive inside, almost like she could've avoided this turn of events. Kennedy knew it was the only way, and she wasn't about to let Fury down, but she also knew she was no spy and she would never be comfortable with this.

The car came to an abrupt stop and the sound of the door opening filled Kennedy's ears. She was pulled out the door by the man and woman who escorted her to what she guessed was the Rampants' hideout. The first thing she picked up on was the many voices, then the smell of metal, then laughter.

"This one does not look fit for what we might give her." A hand grabbed onto the lower part of her face near her jaw and violently turned it left, then right. "She looks weak."

"You never know. She might be all brains instead of brawn."

Kennedy was yanked forward and pulled some more until they came to a stop. The cloth around her eyes began to loosen and she watched it fall onto the concrete ground. Gold and blue were the first colours she saw; they glowed on the long table in front of her. _Chitauri debris._ Taking a step closer, Kennedy's hand went out to touch it. Someone from behind her cocked a gun.

"Not until you complete the task we give you."

Sweat pooled at the nape of her neck as she stood still, her breaths quickening.

"Not until you complete the task!"

Kennedy whipped her leg around and kicked the person in the gut while ducking to avoid the bullet they shot. At that moment, she got a good look at how many people there were. Not as much as she anticipated, but still enough for them to get a couple of blows.

Another Rampant shot directly at her and Kennedy stuck her hand out. Through her veins, she felt the increase in energy as the bullet hit her hand, no harder than a golf ball.

"What the hell?!"

Five of the Rampants ran up at her, using the strength through numbers tactic. One threw a punch at Kennedy that she blocked, grabbing their fist and twisting it until their arm broke. The cry of pain was the least of her worries when four were still left.

She was grabbed by the neck and raised off the ground, the air in her lungs beginning to escape. Before they could choke her, she flicked her hand, pulling the energy encircling her, as if she was stealing something. Kennedy sent a beam in the person's chest and they fell back, releasing her from their grip.

She shot blasts of cerulean blue at each attacker and they flew to the other side of the room, landing hard on the concrete or hitting the walls.

From behind, Kennedy heard the all too familiar sound of a taser. Her left hand wrapped around it, sucking away all of its power. The opponent, a six foot tall, bulky man was shocked, so much so that he hesitated. It was enough time for her to knee him in the groin and jab her elbow into his neck. When he fell, Kennedy slowly began forcing the energy out of him, but he resisted as most would, screaming in pain.

Focusing more, she held him by the shoulder and shushed him. He went limp, tipping over on his side to meet with the concrete. Kennedy winced at the sound of his head banging onto the solid surface, and turned away in case there was blood. What followed was a piercing headache and a burning sensation where her implant was, reminding her of her limits.

The amount of Chitauri debris the Rampants managed to collect was impressive, to say the least. They lined walls, tables, and were tucked in cabinets. Subsequent to her thorough look around the room, Kennedy contacted Fury, the began her job.

The following morning was when Fury arrived in his classic long black coat and eye patch. Kennedy had been removing the energy emitted from the debris for hours, however, there were still hundreds more left to cover.

Fury scanned the room with his one eye, quickly noticing the Rampants members all lying on the floor. He checked the pulse of one of them, then questioned, "So is this some type of sleep you put them under?"

"No." Kennedy placed Chitauri debris that she was working on down and explained, "The amount of energy I took from them for myself made them go unconscious. They simply didn't have enough to continue complex functions. They'll wake up eventually with the help of cellular respiration and all."

"I'll need you to stay for a bit longer to deal with this debris. Then I've got a few people coming in to take it."

"Who's going to know about this?"

"A few people on the debris," he began. "I've got top researchers lined up to take a look. Only Natasha will know that you were involved. I'll deal with the rest to make sure it stays covered up."

"Are you sure—"

"Don't worry, Kennedy. As long as you're a part of SHIELD, the wrong people will never know who you really are." There was a moment of uncomfortable silence, in which she wasn't sure how to reply and Fury was busy staring at all the debris. "After this, I want you to go visit your family," he added.

Her head shot up as she stared at Fury with disbelief. "Really?"

"I mean you're already in Europe, aren't you?"

A large, toothy smile took over Kennedy's face. "Thank you, Fury."

She continued working hard for the next few days, taking out as much debris as possible for the time being. Once Fury gave her the go-ahead, she took the first flight out to France.

Her father and sister lived in a quaint little home on the farm side of France that SHIELD had granted to them when she was nineteen. Kennedy couldn't remember the last time she'd visited, so when she knocked on the door one random evening, the amount of surprise could not be contained by them. What they planned as a simple routine dinner transformed into a celebration and feast with her dad picking ripe vegetables from his garden to add to the meal. As they dined, they discussed, everyone sharing a little bit of what they'd been up to since they last talked over the phone. Though Father missed his days as a professor, he definitely found a secret talent for gardening even though Kennedy always knew he was a green thumb. Leslie was out and about when she wasn't working, gaining more knowledge on French culture each day.

Kennedy was happy for them both, yet she couldn't shake the feeling that their lives could've been better if she'd done things differently. After they ate together, laughed together, and prayed together, Leslie let her sleep in her room. Kennedy took a seat in front of Leslie's vanity and gazed at herself in the mirror while her sister looked for a blow-up mattress.

"Are you mad at me?" Kennedy blurted out.

Leslie stopped what she was doing and walked over to her. "No. Why would I be?"

"Because you were in university and you were top of the class and then I came in with my big-headed ideas and I—"

"And you did the right thing." She stood behind Kennedy, stroking her curls like her dad would and tying them back. "It took me a while to see it that way. I was so focused on the little details, but you always liked looking at the whole picture. Explains why you like art so much."

Kennedy was silent for a moment, weighing in what her sister had said. "Is it truly the right thing if the majority thinks it's wrong?"

"Depends who the majority is and what they believe in." As she went back to get the mattress, she remarked, "You know lately you've been having the habit of spoiling your own happiness. Stop worrying and get some rest. _Baba_ and I are fine and we're over the moon glad that you're here."

Being the obedient little sister Kennedy normally wasn't, she followed what Leslie said. When she went to sleep, all she thought of was the success of her mission and the family she was reunited with after all.

• • • • • 

Kennedy stayed in France for about two weeks then travelled back to Washington, DC, making her total departure around a month. Entering the Triskelion, she was greeted left and right with the same welcome back phrase she almost grew sick of in less than five minutes. Hurriedly, she made her way to the elevator that'd take her to Fury's office.

Travelling down the plain hallway, she passed by an agent who had come from Fury's office. She was taller than Kennedy was by a few inches with wavy blonde hair and soft eyes.

"Good morning Agent Jacobson. Glad you survived those SHIELD meetings."

Kennedy let out a small laugh. "Thank you, Agent 13."

With that, she walked into Fury's office.

"Agent Jacobson," he greeted blandly. "I take it you want an update on the Chitauri debris and the Rampants."

"Yeah..." she looked back in the direction in which she saw Agent 13, then back to Fury. "What was Agent 13 doing in your office."

"Just chatting."

"Chatting?" A scoff escaped her lips at his words. "You don't 'chat', Fury."

Fury sighed, it clearly being too early to get hassled with questions. "After the battle of New York, I ordered her to keep an eye on Captain Rogers. Make sure our poster boy doesn't get shot and killed."

"What are the chances of that happening when he has a shield of vibranium."

"It happened to Coulson. It nearly happened to me. _Anyone_ is at risk."

Fury was never without reason for the actions he chose to do. Even though he only had one good eye, he saw things better than the rest of them did. As Kennedy pulled a chair across from him, she put her questions to rest, letting him speak. Because in the end, the world of today was dangerous. From trickster gods, to alien debris handlers, no one was truly safe unless they did what Fury did and kept both eyes open.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's another long chapter to make up for my time away. I tried to dedicate this chapter to Kennedy and her powers in action, while also adding a bit more depth to her relationship with Natasha. Sadly, Steve was barely in this one, but don't worry because his next appearance is a good one. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter!
> 
> Thanks for reading.


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